Macular Degeneration Support Group

You may not be happy with this answer, but it is true. We are all born into a world of sin and sickness and death. Why me? Because you are a person. The reasons for AMD are not knownand particularly in younger people, such as you. Your other eye will probably be effected but it may be awhile as three years of no further problem is good.
At age 71, I have had wet AMD in both eyes for three years and I am doing pretty well. We must learn to live with it adjust the way we do things accordingly. Plenty of light, large print publications, etc. Think positively about how you can overcome some problems and do not allow yourself to become depressed. Jim

Yes, we all were born into a world of sin but God is not doing this to us.!. Man is! The food and drug companies put things in the food and drugs to increase our dependance. There is a way to beat them.

I have been just diagioned with macular degeneration and am feeling very hopeless right now. I live in Canada and there doesn't appear to be much help out there for me and I was hoping you might have some suggestion for me

If I was you the first thing I would do is see another specialist. When I developed a wet spot in my left eye my specialist did laser treatment that very day. He got the sight in that eye back to 20-25, he said he could get me 20-40, so it turned out better than he thought.When I got a Macular wet spot in my right eye paser treatment was out of the question because it was too close to the bullseye ( center ) so he did the shot in the eye every six weeks for five treatments. I still have farily decent vision in that eye, perhaps 20-70. I have gone six months with it not getting worse, With this type eye condition this is good. I have been taking Preservision at my doctors insistence, I feel it has helped. It was developed specifically for Macular degeneration. Good luck.

Hammyhoney

This may sound crazy.........but why NOT me?
Each of us are given things to bear in this life. We can sit and be miserable and spend the rest of our days asking "Why me" or else we can go out and enjoy the blue sky and the sun( with out protective lens on) while we still can!
Life is way tooo short to ask why me.
Know that you are blessed and that if we can just back up, ultimately we understand why me.

This is intended to help and not be mean spirited. I hope you can accept it in that light!
God bless!

I am new here. I read your note 1st. 1st - we need to be thankful for what we had - and still have. When I fall -and I do - I try to concentrate on those who have never had vision. I am scared like you. I have three children - having them later in life. I have started college payments and have a very long way to go. I must work.
And so - all we have - all that is left is what is inside of us. We need to understand that bad things happend to good people however how you live is how your children learn. I must not agree with Reply 1 - my mother is 93 - had since 80 and the other eye has no problems. There is a good chance (take care of your eyes) that your other eye will remain fine. You must agree with that in your heart.
Here is why. 1st - you are teaching your kids how to live and deal with the type of issues we will not be around to help with at some point. They may react as you did - the good or the bad. 2nd - worry does one thing and one thing only - it burns up time you have. I have a friend who thinks they have cancer every day. So far they don't. I had cancer and I try not to think about it - ever. Not saying I don't - not saying I do not lose sleep. I am saying that I must be proactive in trying to use what time I have...
For me - I must try to keep in my heart and forgive my spiritual link - well actually don't - I know that I will see as long as God needs me to see - not a moment longer or a monent shorter. I am not saying he gave me this. He did not. My point however is that if he has something for me in his plan - and he does - then I will see as long as needed. I request no more.
Yes we live in a bad world - however we should be light. I understand how you feel. I have nobody to really talk to - and I do have some scared days - however all we can do is get up and shake ourselves off and go on...
We are needed.

I'm a kind of semi-committed humanist, used to be a christian, and for the first time in my life I have asked "Why me?" in relation to my early onset macular degeneration. I'm 41. At 43 I won't be able to drive, if my consultant is to be believed.
Grief is a process that you need to work through. Grief for any kind of loss, such as a job, a pet, or your eye sight. There is no shame in thinking "Why me?" When I had a child who was really ill I never asked why me? When I had a second child who was really ill I never asked why me? When my third was born and suffered a life-threatening heart and digestive condition I didn't ask why me? I asked Why him? when my prescious oldest boy was diagnosed with Tourette's. I didn't ask Why me? when I was diagnosed with menierre's.

What I'm trying to say is, I have been screaming "WHY ME!" since I was diagnosed a few short months back. Sight = independence. Sight= freedom. Sight= being able to help our loved ones, pick up our own shopping, squeeze our own spots, pluck our own rogue hairs from your eye-brows!!!
Grieve, Trendy, and let the process happen. Wallow a little if you need, and get angry with life. Then you will find that a calm descends, and you accept what has happened, no matter how shit it is. You will be OK, whether you can see or not. You can use it as a great excuse not to take care of any snotty grandchildren in future years, you can get other people to do your chores if you make them feel guilty enough :)
Stay positive. In your heart, stay positive. We will still be able to pick up a phone, buy voice-recognition software to write letters, listen to the radio. We can be eccentric women with white canes, "accidentally" hitting teenagers as we walk along the street! We can buy outrageously revolting sun-glasses and pretend we don't know how vile they are! The possibilities are endless.
Hang in there. Yes, it's totally shit losing your sight, but I sense a strong woman with an outgoing personality in you, and I know you will overcome this. Take care.

Well, I've read alot of different points of view here. ANd they are definitely all relevant. I have researched like mad since coming down with WMD. And I am finally thinking about doing the injections. There seems to be alot of positive feed back about them. Keep your chin up! Educate yourself, and try everything you can!!! Love at ya